78 MIMICRY, AND OTHER PROTECTIVE 
birds more easily than almost any other insects, their 
great abundance all over the wide region they inhabit 
shows that they are not so persecuted. It is to be es- 
pecially remarked also, that they possess no adaptive 
colouring to protect them during repose, for the under 
side of their wings presents the same, or at least an 
equally conspicuous colouring as the upper side; and 
they may be observed after sunset suspended at the end 
of twigs and leaves where they have taken up their 
station for the night, fully exposed to the attacks of 
enemies if they have any. These beautiful insects 
possess, however, a strong pungent semi-aromatic or 
medicinal odour, which seems to pervade all the juices 
of their system. When the entomologist squeczes the. 
breast of one of them between his fingers to kill it, a 
yellow liquid exudes which stains the skin, and the 
smell of which can only be got rid of by time and re- 
peated washings. Here we have probably the cause of 
their immunity from attack, since there is a great deal 
of evidence to show that certain insects are so disgust- 
ing to birds that they will under no circumstances 
touch them. Mr. Stainton has observed that a brood 
of young turkeys greedily devoured all the worthless 
moths he had amassed in a night’s “sugaring,” yet 
one after another seized and rejected a single white 
moth which happened to be among them. Young phea- 
sants and partridges which eat many kinds of cater- 
pillars seem to have an absolute dread of that of the 
common currant moth, which they will never touch, and 
tomtits as well as other small birds appear never to eat 
